Write-once recording medium preserving data-recording status, method of preserving data-recording status of a write-once recording medium, medium including computer readable code for the same, and recording and/or reproducing apparatus therefor

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for reproducing a recording medium having a recorded defect management area. The apparatus includes a pickup reading data from a recording medium and a controller controlling the pickup to read data on the recording medium and determining whether the recording medium contains predetermined data, recorded in response to a finalization command, to prevent recording with respect to the recording medium. The controller determines whether an area of a temporary defect management area not having defect management data includes the predetermined data by checking whether the temporary defect management data is filled with repetitions of a predetermined value.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/429,315, filed May 8, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,342,855, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/792,919, filed Mar.5, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,397,738, which claims the priority benefitof Korean Patent Application Nos. 2003-14612, 2003-16499, 2003-23729 and2003-52080 filed on Mar. 8, Mar. 17, Apr. 15, and Jul. 28, 2003,respectively, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and thepriority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 60/456,940 and60/472,114, filed on Mar. 25 and May 21, 2003, respectively, in theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a write-once recording mediumpreserving a data-recording status of the write once-recording medium, amethod of preserving the data-recording status of a write-once recordingmedium, a medium including computer readable code for the same, and arecording and/or reproducing apparatus for the write-once recordingmedium.

2. Description of the Related Art

A data-recordable area of a recording medium, e.g., an optical disc, ismade up of a lead-in area, a lead-out area, and a data area, each ofwhich is made up of clusters. A cluster is a unit in which data isrecorded or reproduced. Depending on the type of data and the type ofstandardized recording method, data clusters are recorded in one of thethree areas.

After data recording, bit maps are created to represent informationabout all areas where data has been recorded, and the bit maps are thenrecorded in a predetermined area of the recording medium, contributingto convenient data recording and/or reproducing. To be more specific,bit maps are created to represent occupied clusters and unoccupiedclusters of each of the lead-in area, the lead-out area, and the dataarea. The bit maps are recorded on the recording medium so that arecording and/or reproducing apparatus can perform rapid access to adesired area of the recording medium. In particular, since bit mapsidentify occupied areas of data, they are very useful for write-oncerecording media, in which management of defects generated during datarecording is important.

A finalized write-once recording medium denotes a write-once recordingmedium in a state where no more data can be recorded to the recordingmedium. Finalization of a write-once recording medium can be eitherwhere a write-once recording medium is finalized even though additionaldata can be recorded in a user data area of the write-once recordingmedium, or where a write-once recording medium is finalized when itreaches a predetermined finalization condition, for example, when nomore data can be recorded on the write-once recording medium because itsuser data area is fully occupied with data.

When a write-once recording medium is finalized, the current datarecording status of the recording medium needs to be preserved, orchanges of the data recording status need to be prevented. Generally,when back-up data or an image photographed by a monitoring camera isrecorded on a write-once recording medium, great measures must be takento prevent a third party from forging or changing the recorded data ofthe recording medium. Even if the recorded data is changed by a thirdperson, the change in the recorded data needs to be identified, and theoriginal data recorded on the write-once recording medium needs to beascertained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a write-once recording medium preservinga data recording status of the write-once recording medium, a method ofpreserving the data recording status of a write-once recording medium, amedium including computer readable code for the same, and a recordingand/or reproducing apparatus therefor, by which the data-recordingstatus of a finalized write-once recording medium is preserved ormodifications of the data recording status of the finalized recordingmedium are prevented, a change in the data recording status of thefinalized recording medium is easily ascertained, and the original datarecorded in the write-once recording medium, corresponding to theprevious recording status, is ascertained.

Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forthin part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obviousfrom the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

To achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages, embodiments ofthe present invention provide a method of preserving a data recordingstatus of a recording medium, including recording data on the recordingmedium, producing recording-status data, representing occupied areas ofthe recording medium, and recording the recording-status data in atemporary defect management area allocated in the recording medium,receiving a finalization command to preserve a data-recording statusdata of the recording medium, and recording predetermined data in thetemporary defect management area, in response to the finalizationcommand, to prevent further data recording on the recording medium.

The recording of the predetermined data further may further includecopying temporary management data, including the recording-status datafinally recorded in the temporary defect management area and recordingthe copied temporary management data in a defect management area on therecording medium in response to the finalization command.

The method may further include preventing further data recording bydetermining whether the recording medium has been finalized based on thedefect management area containing the copied temporary management data,and preventing further data recording by determining whether therecording medium has been finalized based on the defect management areacontaining the copied temporary management data. In addition, thepredetermined data may be recorded in an entire unoccupied area of thetemporary defect management area.

Further, the recording-status data may include bit maps, distinguishingoccupied data areas of the recording medium from unoccupied data areasof the recording medium, of an entire data-recordable area on therecording medium by representing the occupied and/or unoccupied areaswith different values in the bit maps. Each of the bit maps may indicatewhether data has been recorded in individual clusters of the recordingmedium, with each cluster being a data recording unit of the recordingmedium. The recording medium may also be a write-once recording medium.

To achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages, embodiments ofthe present invention provide a method of recording data on a recordingmedium, including determining whether the recording medium has beenfinalized based on a detected finalization flag recorded in a spare bitmap of the recording medium, and preventing a recording of data to therecording medium based on a determination that the recording medium hasbeen finalized.

To further achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages,embodiments of the present invention provide a method of recording dataon a recording medium, including preventing a recording of data to therecording medium based on a determination that predetermined data isrecorded in a temporary defect management area, previously recorded tothe recording medium in response to a finalization command, to preventfurther recording of data to the recording medium.

Still further, to achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages,embodiments of the present invention provide a method of recording dataon a recording medium, including determining whether the recordingmedium has been finalized based on a detected finalization flag recordedin a defect management area (DMA) of the recording medium, andpreventing a recording of data to the recording medium based on adetermination that the recording medium has been finalized.

To achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages, embodiments ofthe present invention provide a method of recording data on a recordingmedium, including preventing a recording of data to the recording mediumbased on a recorded temporary disc defect structure (TDDS), temporarydisc defect list (TDFL), or space bit map (SBM) recorded in a defectmanagement area (DMA), indicating that the recording medium has beenfinalized, with the DMA not including a finalization flag. The TDDS,TDFL, and SBM may also be recorded in a temporary defect management area(TDMA), separate from the DMA. The TDDS and SBM may further be stored ina single area separate from an area including the TDFL.

To achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages, embodiments ofthe present invention provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatusincluding a pickup writing data to or reading data from a recordingmedium, and a controller controlling the pickup to record data on therecording medium, to produce and control the pickup to recordrecording-status data, the recording-status data representing occupiedareas among the entire data-recordable area on the recording medium, ina temporary defect management area allocated on the recording medium,and to record predetermined data in the temporary defect management areain response to a finalization command, issued to preserve adata-recording status of the recording medium, preventing further datarecording on the recording medium.

To achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages, embodiments ofthe present invention provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus,including a pickup writing data to or reading data from a recordingmedium, and a controller controlling the pickup to record data on therecording medium and to prevent the recording of data to the recordingmedium based on a determination that a temporary defect management areaof the recording medium contains a predetermined data identifying thatthe recording medium has been finalized. The determination that thepredetermined data is recorded in the temporary defect management areamay be based on predesignated data being recorded in an entireunoccupied area of the temporary defect management area.

To achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages, embodiments ofthe present invention provide a recording medium having a lead-in area,a data area, and a lead-out area, including a temporary defectmanagement area formed in at least one of the lead-in area, the dataarea, and the lead-out area, wherein recording-status data, whichidentifies occupied areas of the recording medium, is recorded in thetemporary defect management area, wherein predetermined data is recordedin the temporary defect management area, if the recording medium hasbeen finalized, to prevent further data recording on the recordingmedium.

To achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages, embodiments ofthe present invention provide a medium including computer readable codecontrolling a controller of a recording and/or reproducing apparatus toperform method embodiments of the present invention.

Similarly, to achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages,embodiments of the present invention provide a medium including computerreadable code controlling the controller of the recording and/orreproducing apparatus embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent and more readily appreciated from the following description ofthe embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings ofwhich:

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate structures of a write-once recording medium,according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a structure of recording-status data, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a structure of final recording-status data, accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a detailed data structure of a write-once recordingmedium having a single recording layer, according to an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a detailed structure of a temporary recording mediumdefect structure (TDDS) area illustrated in FIG. 4, according to anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates another detailed data structure of a write-oncerecording medium having a single recording layer, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a detailed structure of an area of FIG. 6 for storingboth a TDDS and a space bit map (SBM), according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates another detailed data structure of a write-oncerecording medium having a single recording layer, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an apparatus for achieving preservation ofthe data-recording status of a write-once recording medium, according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a recording and/or reproducing apparatusof FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method of preserving thedata-recording status of a write-once recording medium, according to anembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method of preserving thedata-recording status of a write-once recording medium, according toanother embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the presentinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elementsthroughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the presentinvention by referring to the figures.

FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a write-once recording mediumaccording to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated inFIG. 1A, if a write-once recording medium has a single recording layerL0, it includes a lead-in area, a data area, and a lead-out area. Thelead-in area is located near the inner boundary of the write-oncerecording medium, and the lead-out area is located near the outerboundary of the write-once recording medium. The data area is formedbetween the lead-in and lead-out areas and is divided into a spare areaand a user data area.

A user data area denotes the area where user data is recorded. A sparearea denotes the area used to replace recordable space in the user dataarea lost to defects. Since it is typically preferable that thewrite-once recording medium provides a maximum capacity for recordingdata, while still allowing for defects, the spare area may initially beset at about 5% of the entire data capacity of the recording medium.

As illustrated in FIG. 1B, if a write-once recording medium has tworecording layers L0 and L1, the recording layer L0 has a lead-in area, adata area, and an outside area, sequentially formed from the innerboundary to the outer boundary of the recording medium. The recordinglayer L1 has an outside area, a data area, and a lead-out area, whichare also sequentially formed from the outer boundary to the innerboundary of the recording medium. In contrast with the single-recordinglayer write-once recording medium of FIG. 1A, the lead-out area in thedouble sided recording medium is formed near the inner boundary of therecording medium.

In other words, the double recording layer write-once recording mediumof FIG. 1B records data in an opposite track path (OTP) starting fromthe lead-in area of the recording layer L0 to the outside area thereofand then from the outside area of the recording layer L1 to the lead-outarea thereof, with a spare area being allocated in each of the recordinglayers L0 and L1.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B, the spare areas can exist betweenthe lead-in area and the user data area and between an outside area andthe user data area. However, in some cases, a spare area may also beformed in extra spaces obtained by dividing the user data area, suchthat at least one spare area may exist between the lead-in area and thelead-out area. Thus, there may be multiple spare areas with various,potentially dynamic, locations.

“Recording-status” data denotes information that represents therecording status of the entire data-recordable area on a recordingmedium by distinguishing occupied areas from unoccupied areas.Particularly, information produced by allocating different bit values tooccupied and unoccupied clusters is referred to as a bit map, with acluster being the unit in which data is recorded, and the cluster alsobeing called a block.

FIG. 2 illustrates the structure of a recording-status data according toan embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 2, aspace bit map (SBM) of SBM #0 through SBM #n represents therecording-status data.

An SBM #i (i being an integer between 0 and n) includes an identifier ofeach SBM (e.g., SBM #i), head data, and bit map data (e.g., Bit Map #i).The head data includes a finalization flag and an update counter and thebit map data indicates whether data has been recorded in cluster unitson the recordable area of the write-once recording medium.

If the recording-status data changes due to the recording of additionaldata in the recording medium, an SBM #i must be produced and recorded,which includes new bit map data representing the occupied data area.When the new SBM #i is produced and recorded, an update counter includedin the new SBM #i indicates the number of updates there have been to therecording-status data.

The time at which each SBM #i is produced to update the recording-statusdata may vary according to a program installed in a recording and/orreproducing apparatus. However, typically, before a write-once recordingmedium, on which data has been recorded, is ejected from a recordingand/or reproducing apparatus, a new SBM #i will be produced and recordedat least once.

A finalization flag is also used to indicate whether the write-oncerecording medium has been finalized.

FIG. 3 illustrates a structure of final recording-status data accordingto an embodiment of the present invention. Before a write-once recordingmedium is finalized, finalization flags included in a head area of eachSBM are represented as “0” and recorded together with other data. Asillustrated in FIG. 3, an SBM recorded before finalization of theoccupied area is represented by SBM #n. If a host, like a computer host,issues a finalization command to a recording and/or reproducingapparatus, only the finalization flag value, among the data offinally-updated SBM #n, is changed from “0” to “1”, and the SBM #nincluding the finalization flag “1” is re-recorded to indicate that therecording medium has been finalized.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, in some cases, predetermined data such as“ffh” is recorded in the area next to the SBM #n with the finalizationflag “1”, thereby preventing further SBM recording and additional datarecording on the write-once recording medium. In this case, it ispreferable that “ffh” is recorded on the entire unoccupied portion ofthe area for recording an SBM.

Due to recording of the SBM with the finalization flag “1”, users areable to preserve the data-recording status of the write-once recordingmedium at the time of finalization. In other words, even when datarecorded on the finalized recording medium changes, or new data is addedto the recorded data, the data recorded before finalization can beidentified by referring to the bit map data included in the SBM with thefinalization flag “1”. This permits the identification of additionaldata recorded after finalization.

Due to the recording of predetermined data in the area next to the SBM#n with the finalization flag “1” after finalization, no more SBM can berecorded, to prevent additional data recording on the finalizedwrite-once recording medium.

Although the finalization flag, in the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3, isrecorded in the head area of each SBM #i, the location of thefinalization flag is not limited in the present invention. Thefinalization flag may be recorded in an area other than the head area ofeach SBM #i.

Hereinafter, an area for recording a finalization flag will be describedin detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 4 shows anembodiment of a detailed data structure of a write-once recording mediumhaving a single recording layer according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. Referring to FIG. 4, a lead-in area includes atemporary disc defect structure (TDDS) area, a temporary defect list(TDFL) area, and an SBM area.

Typically, a defect management area (DMA), which stores informationabout defects generated while recording data in a data area, is formedin a lead-in area and/or a lead-out area. When a recording medium isloaded on a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the recording and/orreproducing apparatus performs initialization. The initializationoperation includes ascertaining how to manage the write-once recordingmedium and how to record or reproduce data on the recording medium byreading out data from a lead-in area and/or a lead-out area, includingdefect data.

Hence, as the amount of data recorded in the lead-in area and/or thelead-out area increases, the time required for initialization, afterrecording medium loading, increases. To reduce the time required forinitialization, temporary management data, which includes a TDDS and aTDFL, is used, with the TDFL and TDDS being recorded in a temporarydefect management area (TDMA), separate from the DMAs of the lead-inarea and/or the lead-out area.

A TDFL includes data identifying defective areas and data identifyingrecently replaced areas. A TDDS is used to manage the TDFL and includesdata identifying the recording location of the TDFL.

The temporary management data also includes an SBM, which represents therecording-status data.

In other words, a TDMA is provided to store a TDDS, a TDFL, and an SBM.The TDMA is formed in at least one of a lead-in area, a data area, and alead-out area, and can be physically one area or divided into aplurality of areas.

For example, referring to FIG. 4, a lead-in area includes a TDDS area, aTDFL area, and an SBM area. In this case, the TDMA is divided into aTDDS area, a TDFL area, and an SBM area. As illustrated in FIG. 6, thelead-in area can include an area for storing both a TDDS and an SBM(i.e., a TDDS+SBM area) and an area for storing a TDFL. In this case, aTDMA is divided into two areas.

When the write-once recording medium is finalized, because no more datais required to be recorded on the recording medium or because no moredata can be recorded thereon, recently recorded TDFLs and TDDSs aremoved to and finally recorded in the DMA(s). Accordingly, when arecording and/or reproducing apparatus reads defect management data fromthe write-once recording medium later, only significant data will beread from the DMA. Thus, faster initialization can be achieved. Also,because identical defect management data may be recorded in many areas,the reliability of data can be improved.

The lead-in area includes an SBM area, which represents recording-statusdata, including bit map data about areas where data has been recorded.

A data area includes spare areas 1 and 2, and a user data area. In theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, if a user selects to have a defectmanagement performed by a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, thespare area 1 is allocated at the head of the data area, and the sparearea 2 is allocated at the rear of the data area.

As described above, the lead-in area, of the write-once recording mediumshown in FIG. 4, includes a TDDS area, a TDFL area, and an SBM areastoring an SBM. In the data structure of the write-once recording mediumof FIG. 4, a finalization flag, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention, can be recorded in the TDDS area.

FIG. 5 shows the data structure of the TDDS area shown in FIG. 4. Asillustrated in FIG. 5, the TDDS area is made up of a plurality ofclusters. A cluster is a data recording unit and is made up of apredetermined number of sectors. One cluster stores one TDDS #k (k is aninteger equal to or greater than 0). A sector is the basic physical unitof a write-once recording medium.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a TDDS #k includes a TDDS identifier, acounter representing the number of TDDS updates, the number of the firstphysical sector of a drive & write-once disc information area, thenumber of the first physical sector in which a possible TDFLcorresponding to the TDDS #k has been recorded, the sizes of spare areas1 and 2, a finalization flag, and data regarding an SBM pointer whichpoints to the location of the SBM corresponding to the case of afinalized recording medium.

Meanwhile, if a user does not want defect management performed by therecording and/or reproducing apparatus, then accordingly, no spare areasare allocated, and the sizes of spare areas 1 and 2 are recorded as “0”.

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of a data structure of awrite-once recording medium having a single recording layer. Asillustrated in FIG. 6, the lead-in area includes a TDFL area and an areafor both a TDDS and an SBM (i.e., a TDDS+SBM area). The lead-in area ofthe write-once recording medium illustrated in FIG. 4 stores a TDFL, aTDDS, and an SBM in different areas, while the lead-in area of thewrite-once recording medium of FIG. 6 stores a TDDS and an SBM in onecluster of a single area. The TDDS+SBM area and the TDFL area make upthe TDMA.

FIG. 7 illustrates a detailed structure of the TDDS+SBM area of FIG. 6.A TDDS and an SBM are recorded in one cluster. The TDDS includes afinalization flag, and the SBM includes a bit map corresponding to thefinalization flag.

As described above, the finalization flag can be recorded not only inthe head area of an SBM #i, but also in various areas such as the TDDSarea and the TDDS+SBM area.

An SBM area is preferably formed in at least one of the data area, thelead-in area, and the lead-out area, illustrated in FIG. 1. The SBM areais for storing each SBM #i, each of which represents recording-statusdata.

As detailed in the above embodiments, an extra finalization flag is usedto preserve the data-recording status of a write-once recording medium.Hereinafter, a method of preserving the data-recording status of awrite-once recording medium, without using a finalization flag, will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of a data structure of awrite-once recording medium having a single recording layer. Asillustrated in FIG. 8, the lead-in area of a write-once recording mediumincludes a TDMA for storing a TDFL, a TDDS, and an SBM. The lead-in areaalso includes DMA1 and DMA2 for storing defect management data. Thelead-out area of the write-once recording medium includes DMA3 and DMA4.

A TDDS and an SBM are recorded in one cluster of the TDMA, and a TDFL isrecorded in another cluster. Although a data structure in which both aTDDS and an SBM are recorded in one cluster is similar to thatillustrated in FIG. 7, no finalization flags are recorded.

When the write-once recording medium of FIG. 8 is finalized, a TDDS, anSBM, and a TDFL, which have recently been recorded in the TDMA, arecopied and recorded in the DMAs. Because the final SBM, as well as thefinal TDDS and the final TDFL, is copied and recorded in the DMAs, nofinalization flags need to be recorded to represent the final SBMrecorded in the TDMA.

An unoccupied area of the TDMA is entirely filled with predetermineddata, for example, “ffh”, to prevent further data recording on thewrite-once recording medium. Even when a recording and/or reproducingapparatus receives a command for additional data recording, afterfinalizing the write-once recording medium, the recording and/orreproducing apparatus does not perform data recording if the TDMA isfilled with data such as “ffh” or the DMAs store defect management data.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an apparatus for achieving preservation ofa data-recording status of a write-once recording medium, according toembodiments of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 9, theapparatus includes a writer/reader 1, a controller 2, and a memory 3.

The writer/reader 1 writes data to a write-once recording medium 100,under the control of the controller 2, and reads the written data toverify the same.

Upon data recording on the write-once recording medium 100, thecontroller 2 performs defect management by using a TDMA included in thewrite-once recording medium 100 and also preserves the data-recordingstatus of the write-once recording medium 100, according to embodimentsof the present invention.

Preservation of the data-recording status of the write-once recordingmedium 100 can be achieved in two ways, namely, the above-describedmethod using a finalization flag and the above-described method withoutusing a finalization flag.

In the method using a finalization flag, the controller 2 produces afinalization flag and records the same in a predetermined area of thewrite-once recording medium 100, upon finalization of the write-oncerecording medium 100. To be more specific, with reference to FIG. 3,among the data of the recently updated SBM #n, only the value of afinalization flag is changed from “0” to “1”, and the SBM #n having thefinalization flag “1” is re-recorded on the area next to the location ofthe original SBM#n having the finalization flag “0”. The controller 2may control the writer/reader 1 so that the empty area following the SBM#n, having the finalization flag “1”, is filled with predetermined data,namely, “ffh”. The controller 2 then controls the final recording of theTDDS and the TDFL so that they are copied and recorded in a DMA. Thefinally recorded SBM does not need to be copied and recorded in the DMA,and the SBM having the finalization flag “1”, among SBMs recorded in aTDMA, is used as the finally recorded SBM.

In the method without using a finalization flag, when the controller 2receives a command from a host (not shown) to finalize the write-oncerecording medium 100, the controller 2 controls the finally recordedTDDS, the finally recorded SBM, and the finally recorded TDFL so thatthey are copied and recorded in a DMA. Thereafter, the controller 2controls the writer/reader 1 so that the entire unoccupied area of theTDMA is filled with predetermined data, for example, “ffh.”

Even when the controller 2 receives a command for additional datarecording from the host, after finalizing the write-once recordingmedium 100, it does not perform data recording if the TDMA is filledwith data such as “ffh” or if the DMA contains defect management data.

The controller 2 follows a verifying-after-writing method, in whichafter data is recorded in predetermined units, the recorded data isverified to find defective data. Accordingly, the controller 2 recordsuser data in predetermined units and verifies the recorded user data toidentify defective data. The controller 2 produces a TDFL and a TDDS,which indicate the area where the defective data found duringverification is stored. The controller 2 stores the TDFL and the TDDS inthe memory 3, collects a predetermined amount of TDFL and TDDS, andtransfers the collected TDFL and TDDS to the TDMA included in thewrite-once recording medium 100.

While not required, it is understood that the controller 2 can be acomputer implementing the method using a computer readable code encodedon a computer readable medium, or present in any other medium supportingthe same, e.g., an optical disc, a wave guide, a carrier wave orchannel, etc. The computer can also be implemented as a chip havingfirmware, or can be a general or special purpose computer programmableto perform the method.

In addition, it is understood that, in order to achieve a recordingcapacity of several dozen gigabytes, the writer/reader 1 could include alow wavelength, high numerical aperture type unit usable to recorddozens of gigabytes of data on the write-once recording medium.

Examples of such units include, but are not limited to, units usinglight wavelengths of 405 nm and having numerical apertures of 0.85,units compatible with Blu-ray discs, and/or units compatible withAdvanced Optical Discs (AOD). Examples of other write-once recordingmedia include CD-R and DVD-R.

FIG. 10 is another block diagram of a recording and/or reproducingapparatus. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the recording and/or reproducingapparatus includes a pickup 10 to serve as the writer/reader 1. Thewrite-once recording medium 100 is installed on the pickup 10. Therecording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a PC I/F 22, a DSP 22,an RF AMP 23, a servo 24, and a system controller 25, all of which makeup the controller 2. The memory 3 can be installed in the systemcontroller 25 of the controller 2.

Upon recording, the PC I/F 21 receives a recording command together withdata to be recorded, from a host (not shown). The system controller 25performs initialization necessary for recording. The DSP 22 performs ECCencoding on the data received from the PC I/F 21 by adding data, such asparity to the received data, and then modulates the ECC-encoded data ina predetermined manner. The RF AMP 23 converts the data received fromthe DSP 22 into an RF signal. The pickup 10 records the RF signalreceived from the RF AMP 23 to the write-once recording medium 100. Theservo 24 receives a command necessary for servo control from the systemcontroller 25 and servo-controls the pickup 10. The system controller 25commands the pickup 10 to read data from the write-once recording medium100 or to record predetermined data, such as temporary management data,on the write-once recording medium 100 in order to perform defectmanagement, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Also, when the write-once recording medium 100 is finalized, in responseto a user's command, or when the write-once recording medium 100 isfinalized because a predetermined finalization condition is satisfied,the system controller 25 commands the pickup 10 to record temporarymanagement data (i.e., a TDDS, a TDFL, and an SBM), finally recorded inthe TDMA, to a DMA.

Upon reproduction, the PC I/F 21 receives a reproduction command fromthe host (not shown). The system controller 25 performs initializationnecessary for reproduction. The pickup 10 projects a laser beam onto thewrite-once recording medium 100, receives a laser beam reflected by thewrite-once recording medium 100, and outputs an optical signal. The RFAMP 23 converts the optical signal received from the pickup 10 into anRF signal, supplies modulated data obtained from the RF signal to theDSP 22, and supplies a servo control signal obtained from the RF signalto the servo 24. The DSP 22 demodulates the modulated data and outputsdata obtained through ECC error correction. The servo 24 receives theservo control signal from the RF AMP 23 and a command necessary forservo control from the system controller 25 and servo-controls thepickup 10. The PC I/F 21 sends data received from the DSP 22 to the host(not shown). Upon reproduction, the system controller 25 can command thepickup 10 to read out information necessary for defect management. Inother words, the system controller 25 can manage the entire systemduring data recording/reproduction.

A method of preserving the data-recording status of a write-oncerecording medium, according to embodiments of the present invention,will now be described on the basis of the structure of the recordingand/or reproducing apparatus of FIG. 10.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for illustrating a method of preserving the datarecording status of a write-once recording medium, according to anembodiment of the present invention. In the method of FIG. 11,preservation of the data recording status of a write-once recordingmedium is achieved using a finalization flag.

First, in operation 110, the write-once recording medium is insertedinto a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for data recording, anddata is recorded on the write-once recording medium. When the write-oncerecording medium is inserted into the recording and/or reproducingapparatus, the write-once recording medium is initialized. Throughinitialization, the recording and/or reproducing apparatus prepares fordata recording by recognizing the inserted write-once recording mediumand ascertaining recording power data, defect management data, and otherdata regarding the write-once recording medium. During initialization,the recording and/or reproducing apparatus accesses an area containingSBMs to obtain information about whether the recordable area of awrite-once recording medium contains recorded data, so that therecording power data, the defect management data, and the other dataabout the write-once recording medium are found quickly. The recordingand/or reproducing apparatus obtains preparatory data for data recordingduring initialisation and transmits the preparatory data to a hostconnected to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. Thereafter, therecording and/or reproducing apparatus records data on the write-oncerecording medium in response to a recording command received from thehost.

Data recording on the write-once recording medium not only involvesrecording user data in the data area but also recording data, necessaryfor temporary defect management with respect to defects generated in therecorded data, in a TDMA.

In operation 130, when the data-recording status of the write-oncerecording medium changes due to new data recording, an SBM #i includingnew bit map data that represents the area containing the new data isproduced and recorded in a TDMA. When the new SBM #i is produced andrecorded, an update counter representing the number of updates of dataabout the data-recording status increases by 1.

The time at which an SBM #i is to be produced and recorded may varyaccording to the program installed in each recording and/or reproducingapparatus. After a write-once recording medium is inserted into arecording and/or reproducing apparatus, and data is recorded on thewrite-once recording medium, an SBM with a new bit map may be producedand recorded only one time before the write-once recording medium isejected from the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. However, in thecase where an SBM is produced only one time, if an emergency, such as anelectricity failure, occurs during recording of data in the write-oncerecording medium, SBM recording cannot be fully achieved. Hence, it ispreferable that an SBM with new bit map data is produced and recordedduring data recording on the write-once recording medium.

In operation 150, the recording and/or reproducing apparatus receives afinalization command from the host to finalize the write-once recordingmedium. Although the finalization command can be arbitrarily issued by auser, the finalization command is typically issued when a predeterminedfinalization condition is satisfied, for example, when the data area orTDMA is completely filled with data and, accordingly, no more data canbe recorded. When the predetermined finalization condition is satisfied,the recording and/or reproducing apparatus may automatically finalizethe write-once recording medium without receiving the finalizationcommand from the host. However, preferably, the recording and/orreproducing apparatus informs the host that the predeterminedfinalization condition has been satisfied, and the host inquires of theuser about whether to finalize the write-once recording medium.

Write-once recording media may contain a TDMA to properly managedefects. However, re-writable recording media contain only DMAs, withoutTDMAs. Hence, a compatibility problem may occur when a re-writablerecording and/or reproducing apparatus tries to record or reproduce dataon a write-once recording medium. To solve the compatibility problem, aTDDS and a TDFL that have been finally recorded in the TDMA, uponfinalization of the write-once recording medium, are copied and recordedin a DMA, in operation 160.

In operation 170, in response to the finalization command, the recordingand/or reproducing apparatus produces a finalization flag and recordsthe same in a predetermined area. To be more specific, the value of afinalization flag, among data in a final update of SBM #n, is changedfrom 0 to 1 while a bit map #n representing an occupied area ismaintained. An SBM #n including the finalization flag “1” is re-recordedin the location next to the location of the final update of SBM #n.

Although a finalization flag is recorded in the head area of an SBM #iin the above-described embodiments, the location is not limited in theembodiments of the present invention. As described above, a finalizationflag may be recorded in an area other than the head area of the SBM #i.

In operation 190, to prevent additional data recording, predetermineddata is recorded in an area next to the area of the SBM #n with thefinalization flag “1”. For example, “ffh” is recorded to prevent furtherSBM recording and prevent additional data from being recorded on thewrite-once recording medium.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for illustrating a method of preserving the datarecording status of a write-once recording medium, according to anotherembodiment of the present invention. In the method of FIG. 12,preservation of the data recording status of a write-once recordingmedium is achieved without using a finalization flag.

First, in operation 310, the write-once recording medium is insertedinto a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for data recording, anddata is recorded on the write-once recording medium.

In operation 330, when the data-recording status of the write-oncerecording medium changes due to new data recording, an SBM #i includingnew bit map data that represents the area containing the new data isproduced and recorded in a TDMA.

In operation 350, the recording and/or reproducing apparatus receives afinalization command from the host to finalize the write-once recordingmedium.

In operation 370, a TDDS and a TDFL that have been finally recorded inthe TDMA are copied and recorded in a DMA.

In operation 390, to prevent additional data recording, predetermineddata is recorded in the TDMA. For example, the unoccupied area of theTDMA is filled with “ffh” to prevent additional data from being recordedon the write-once recording medium.

Because the final SBM, as well as the final TDDS and the final TDFL, iscopied and recorded in the DMA upon finalization, no finalization flagsneed to be recorded to represent the final SBM recorded in the TDMA.Even when the recording and/or reproducing apparatus receives a commandfor additional data recording from the host after finalizing thewrite-once recording medium, it does not perform data recording if theTDMA is filled with data such as “ffh” or if the DMA contains defectmanagement data.

While described in terms of a write-once recording medium, it isunderstood that the method can be used with rewritable media or wherethe medium has write-once and rewritable portions.

As described above, according to the present invention, in a write-oncerecording medium capable of preserving a data recording status of therecording medium, a method of preserving the data recording status ofthe write-once recording medium, and a recording and/or reproducingapparatus for preserving the data recording status of the write-oncerecording medium, the data recording status of a finalized write-oncerecording medium is preserved or modification of the data recordingstatus of the finalized recording medium is prevented. A change in thedata recording status of the finalized recording medium is easilyascertained. Also, the original data recorded in the write-oncerecording medium, corresponding to the previous recording status, can beascertained.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in this embodiment without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined inthe claims and their equivalents.

1. An apparatus for reproducing and/or recording from and/or to awrite-once recording medium, the apparatus comprising: a pickupconfigured to read data from the write-once recording medium whichcomprises a temporary defect management area comprising bit maps, thebit maps providing to the apparatus information for distinguishingoccupied data areas from unoccupied data areas, of a user data area ofthe write-once recording medium by representing the occupied and/orunoccupied areas with different values in the bit maps; and a controllerconfigured to control the pickup: to read the data from the temporarydefect management area; and to record predetermined data in anunoccupied area of the temporary defect management area, wherein thepredetermined data is ‘OO h’ data, and wherein the temporary defectmanagement area comprises temporary disc defect structure whichcomprises information on a location of an area in which the bit maps arerecorded.
 2. An apparatus for reproducing and/or recording from and/orto a recording medium, the apparatus comprising: a pickup configured toread data from the recording medium which comprises a temporary defectmanagement area comprising bit maps, the bit maps providing to theapparatus information for distinguishing occupied data areas fromunoccupied data areas of a user data area of the recording medium byrepresenting the occupied and/or unoccupied areas with different valuesin the bit maps; and a controller configured to control the pickup toread the data from the temporary defect management area, wherein anunoccupied area of the temporary defect management area is recorded withpredetermined data, wherein the temporary defect management area furthercomprises a temporary disc defect structure (TDDS) and a temporary discdefect list (TDFL), and wherein the temporary disc defect structurecomprises information on a location of an area in which the bit maps arerecorded.
 3. An apparatus for reproducing and/or recording from and/orto a write-once recording medium, the apparatus comprising: a pickupconfigured to read data from the write-once recording medium whichcomprises a temporary defect management area comprising bit maps, thebit maps providing to the apparatus information for distinguishingoccupied data areas of the write-once recording medium from unoccupieddata areas, of a user data area of the write-once recording medium byrepresenting the occupied and/or unoccupied areas with different valuesin the bit maps; and a controller configured to control the pickup: toread the bit maps from the temporary defect management area; wherein anunoccupied area of the temporary defect management area is recorded withpredetermined data, wherein the predetermined data is ‘OOh’, and whereinthe temporary defect management area comprises temporary disc defectstructure which comprises information on a location of an area in whichthe bit maps are recorded.